UCLA to start Honeycutt

LOS ANGELES -- Freshman forward Tyler Honeycutt will make his first start for UCLA tonight when the Bruins visit Cal.

Honeycutt will replace point guard Jerime Anderson in the starting lineup but Malcolm Lee will take Anderson's role.

UCLA coach Ben Howland announced the change on Tuesday, one which was prompted when Anderson was late to a Sunday session with the trainer. Anderson tweaked his groin in last Thursday's game against Arizona State and was one of a few players slated to see the trainer before Sunday's practice.

"I'm going to start Honeycutt (today)," Howland said. "I think he played 24 or 25 minutes on Saturday. I'm starting him, not because of that, but basically because I'm disciplining Jerime for being late to an appointment on Sunday."

Anderson said that the trainer's room opened at noon for whoever needed treatment. He arrived about an hour late.

"I just kind of overslept and was late," Anderson said. "I'm just now hearing that I'm not going to start so I guess I'll have to take the consequences and just move on, I guess."

Honeycutt and Lee were caught off-guard by the change, learning of it when the media asked them about it.

"This is all new to me," Lee said. "Are you all joking?"

When Lee was convinced that the news was true, he got more serious.

"OK, let's get it going," he said. "I'm comfortable with it. I like to have the ball in my hands. I'm ready.

"I'm going to look at it more like getting the team going because Jerime is not going to be on the court, at least to start the game."

Honeycutt, like all good freshmen, accepted the assignment and plans to make the most of the opportunity. He'll be matched against Theo Robertson, the Golden Bears' 6-6 senior forward who will enter the game with 993 career points.

"The biggest thing that Theo Robertson has improved this year is his ability to drive," Howland said. "He's really, really improved his ability to get to the point and drive around people."

Honeycutt's defensive skills might be hampered by his own build. He stands 6-7, most of which are his legs.

"He's about two-thirds legs and one-third upper-body," Howland said. "Athletically, he has a hard time staying in front of the ball right now. His big challenge is going to be defensively, being able to stay in front of the guy he's guarding. He's got such long legs, he has to really get low and in a stance to really stay in front of the people."

Honeycutt knows what he has to do. Though only a freshman, he has demonstrated the potential as a future impact player, and is averaging five points and five rebounds off the bench.

"I have to keep working on footwork and try to stay low all the time, whether it's on-ball or off-ball," Honeycutt said. "I tend to, a lot of times (when) off the ball, to stand up. My last couple of games I've been working on that too. It's in the back of my head to stay low at all times."

Offensively, Honeycutt said that he has been spending a lot of time passing the ball instead of shooting it. Honeycutt joined the team late because of a stress reaction in his right leg. He is getting more comfortable but isn't quite there yet.

"All the guys have been playing all year together and I feel like (I'm) kind of the new guy so I'm working my way back into the rotation," he said. "I'm pretty close."